Other Lives: Blending work and passion

Thursday

Sep 14, 2017 at 3:01 AMSep 14, 2017 at 4:01 AM

By Michael Lohmeier

After finding, “A thousand reasons why I shouldn’t do it,” Brian Bergeron decided, “You just gotta follow your heart.” As a result, two months ago he opened BLEND 603, an art gallery and “creative collaborative” in Portsmouth.

He says that it has been a life-long dream to have his own art gallery. “This has always been my deep-rooted passion. Being creative and generating my own artwork.”

After five years of searching for the right location and determined to “do it on my own,” without financial assistance from friends or family he finally found the perfect space at 111 Market Street.

“My philosophy was to commit to this and then figure it out. I tried to not figure out too much ahead of time, because you can talk yourself out of it.”

He describes the gallery as, “A way of fusing culture, style, and creativity into one cohesive brand while paying homage to my beautiful hometown of Portsmouth.”

He began as a fine art student at Flagler College in Florida before changing direction and receiving his master’s degree in architecture from the Wentworth Institute of Technology. He now works in Boston as a Lead 3D Experiential Designer at George P. Johnson Experience Marketing agency.

“I love my job,” he says. “(It’s) a great, energetic company,” where he is surrounded by “great people, we meld really nicely.”

When he’s not at his day job, he spends his free time tweaking the gallery space. “I’m planning on some revisions to the space — adding a few more display walls. It’s a work in progress.”

Currently, the gallery houses Bergeron’s work exclusively. But he plans to expand his vision.

“The collaborative part is to hopefully hold events where on a Friday an artist would come in and we’d showcase their work.” Not only visual artists, but “poets, musicians, writers and sculptures.” He adds, “I do plan on it evolving with other local artists (to help get) exposure, because that’s so important, to get your work out there to be seen.”

Recently, he joined the Art ‘Round Town gallery walk held on the first Friday of every month. BLEND 603 will be participating as one of the galleries.

His own artwork is divided primarily into vivid color photography of pristine landscapes and graphite and charcoal portraits capturing human emotion. “There are no humans in my photography.” He adds that, “I love light. How it can transform a whole scene. I’ve always loved to capture the beauty in the world (and give) my perspective to it. The best way for me to do that is behind a lens or pencil. That’s what brings me to life.”

He said he hopes to create an “immersive experience, to put the viewer right in the scene, especially with the photography. To experience that scene and location without having to travel there. Bringing those beautiful moments in nature back for everyone to enjoy.”

He added that a common thread running through his work is the “juxtaposition between capturing human emotion and untouched natural environments.”

He plans to continue working in both worlds. “Life is all about balance. (It’s important to have) my career in Boston, because I do love that job, and being able to devote a chunk of time to the gallery as well. My boss (and co-workers) have been super supportive.”

He added that, “If people have an idea for an event they’d like to have here, I’m open for suggestions.”

This fall, the New Hampshire Film Festival will use his gallery as a venue for one of the parties for film makers and other VIPs.

Asked what finally made him take the financial risk to open an art gallery, he replied, “I thought about the fact that if you don’t pursue your own dreams and passions, you end up working for somebody who did.”

Michael Lohmeier lives in Portsmouth writes a bi-weekly feature on the second lives many people lead outside of their main professions. Know someone who would make for an interesting profile? Drop a line to edge@seacoastonline.com and share a bit about their story and their contact information. See more Other Lives profiles online.

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